Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 696,229. Patented Mar. 25, I902. M.'J. ERK.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 19, 1901i (No mam.

ATTORNEYS.

1m: Noam: PETERS c0, Pnotoumm, wunmurcn. n. c,

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN'J. EEK, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

"ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SEEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 696,229, dated March25, 1902.

Application filed June 19,1901.

To aZZ whom it ntcty concern.-

Be itknown that I, MARTIN J. ERK,of Bing-, hamton, in the county ofBroome, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-gas generators.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and practical deviceadapted to receive a large body of carbid, which may be readilyconvertedinto gas by small jets of water directed against the lowersurface of the carbid.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the parts of myinvention as to prevent any clogging or choking of the carbid within itsreceptacle during the process of forming gas therefrom, or, in otherwords, for per mitting a free discharge of the sludge through thesupporting-grate of the carbid-receptacle and at the same timepermitting the body of the live and active carbid to readily gravitateonto the supporting-grate in the path of the jets of water.

Another object of this invention is to so arrange the water-dischargingnipples as to contact the water with the lower surface of the carbid inalinement with the spaces between the grate-bars, so that the resultantformation of the sludge is readily precipitated into thewater-containing tank at the base of the generator; and a still furtherobject is to provide a suitable gas-discharge conduit with a perforatedhead interposed between the water-line and the bottom of thecarbid-receptacle for receiving the gas and conducting the same to thegas-discharge conduit. i

It is well known that considerable difficulty is experienced in properlydisposing of the sludge accumulating during the formation of gas, and Ihave therefore constructed myimproved generator not only for the primeobject of generating gas economically and efficiently, but also with theobject of rendering the removal or disposition of the sludge as nearlyautomatic as possible.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of the parts of an acetylene-gas generator, as

semi No. 65,142. (No model.)

I have found after careful study and many experiments with this class ofdevices that one 1 of the most difficult problems to overcome has beento provide means for generating gas from a large body of carbid withoutcausing more or less after production of gas, or, in other words,maintaining a substantially dry body of carbid after the water has beenshut ofi from contact therewith. I have also found that when the carbidis stored in large quantities for the formation of gas directly therefrom, even though a clean and active surface of the carbid may bemaintained for variable periods of time, this body becomes choked orclogged within the reservoir and fails at times to feed into the path ofthe jets of water, thereby rendering the generator very unreliable. A Myinvention is designed to overcome these difficulties and to carry outthe objects as previously set forth, and consists of a shell 1, acarbid-receptacle 2, a follower 3, waterdistributing heads 4, and agas-receiving head 5. The shell 1 may be of any desired form, size, orconstruction, but is preferably rectangular in form, being supportedupon a suitable base 6 and provided with an inclined bottom 7 and innershell 8. "The base of the shell 1 above the bottom wall 7 is adapted toreceive the body of water 9, the level of which is disposed in a planebeneath the bottom of the carbid-receptacle 2 a sulficient distance toform a suitable gas-chamber between the water-line and the body ofcarbid.

The upper end'of the receptacle l'is preferably open for receiving thefollower 3,which is removable through said opening and consists of aninner shell 10 and an outer shell 11, the inner shell being providedwith a bot .tom wall and is adapted to receive a quantity of water orother weight for the purpose of holding the bottom wall against theupper IGO surface of the body of carbid, thereby facilitating thegravitation of the carbid upon its supporting-grate during the processof forming gas therefrom, this follower serving to follow up thedownwardly-gravitating body of carbid incidental to the dissolution andprecipitation of the portion adjacent to the grate and reduces thegas-space as the carbid is exhausted. This shell 10 is open at its upperend, and the outer shell 11 is united to the upper end of the innershell 10, the lower end of said outer shell 11 being open and insertedinto the space between the shells 1 and 8.

The shell 8 incloses the carbid-receptacle and, together with the outerwalls 1, forms a suitable water-chamber 12, the level of which ismaintained above the bottom edge of the outer shell 11 for forming awater seal, and thereby preventing the escape of gas from thecarbid-receptacle except through the channels designed for this purpose.

The carbid-receptacle 2 may also be of any desired form or size adaptedto enter the upper end of the shell 1 between the walls 8 and ispreferably rectangular in cross-section,

being provided with a grate 13 at its base and with apertures 14,arranged slightly above or substantially coincident with the uppersurface of the grate-bars. These grate-bars are preferably substantiallyparallel with each other and are separated a sufficient distance topermit the gravitation of the sludge therethrough, and the apertures 14are arranged in substantial alinement with the spaces between thegrate-bars, being adapted to receive the water discharged from thewater-heads 4. Any desired means may be employed for discharging waterthrough these apertures in substantialalinementwith the spacesbetweenthe grate-bars and against the lower surface of the carbid; but Ipreferably arrange the heads 4 at the opposite ends of the gratebars andprovide the same with suitable nipples 15, having restricted openingsarranged to discharge fine jets of water through the apertures 14 andagainst the face of the carbid adjacent to the upper face of the grate13, these nipples being also arranged to discharge the jets of watertoward each other in aline substantially coincident with the spacesbetween the grate-bars, the descending water serving to wash the risinggas. It is thus evident from the foregoing description that the waterdischarged through these nipples 15 andapertures 14 comes in contactwith the portions of the body of carbid immediately above the spacesbetween the grate-bars, and therefore the sludge which is formed isforced or drops by gravity between said grate-bars and is precipitatedthrough the body of water 9 onto the inclined bottom wall 7, along whichthe precipitated sludge gravitates to a point in proximityto adischarge-opening 16, formed in one of the side walls of the base of thereceptacle 1.

The inclined wall 7 is preferably troughshaped, or, in other words, isso constructed as to concentrate all of the precipitated sludge towardthe discharge-opening 16. In order to remove or clean out the sludgefrom the bottom of the receptacle 1, I usually provide a suitableconduit 17, arranged within the opening 16 and having a gate or valve18, which may be readily opened to the full head of the pipe 17, and, infact, this pipe 17 and gate 18 may be so arranged that the attendant mayreadily insert any suitable instrument therein in order to more properlyand entirely remove the sludge and water from the base of the receptacle1.

The means for supplying water to the heads 4 preferably consists of amain feed-pipe 19 and branch feed-pipes 20, connected to uprightconduits 2l,which in turn are connected, respectively, to the oppositeheads 4, the main feed-pipe 19 being so arranged as to supply water toany number of generators which it may be desired to use for increasingor reducing the capacity of the steam-generating plant. The branchconduits 20 are usually arranged at opposite sides of the generator andare passed through apertures in the outer shell 1 at a point beneath thelevel of the body of water 9 in order to prevent any leakage of gasthrough the openings through which the pipes 20 pass. I preferably unitethe ends of the pipes 20 by a conduit 22, arranged within thewater-chamber in the base of the receptacle 1 and is suitably secured tothe outer walls of said receptacle for forming a brace between saidwalls, and the upright pipes 21 are connected at their lower ends tothis transverse pipe 22.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the water passes fromthe main conductor 19 through the branch conductors 20 and into thetransverse conduit 22, from which it is distributed through the uprightconduits 21 into the heads 4, and thence outwardly into contact with thecarbid through the jets 15.

In order to maintain the water at a predeterter seal for preventing theescape of gas therethrough.

The means for receiving and conveying the gas from the generatorconsists of the head 5, which is mounted upon the upper end of anupright pipe 24, said upright pipe having its lower end connected to adischarge-conduit 25, extending outwardly through the shell 1, thisdischarge-pipe 25 being arranged to be connected to any form ofgasometer which it maybe desirable to use. The conduit 25 preferablyextends through the opposite walls of the shell 1 beneath the water-lineand is secured to said opposite walls by suitable lock-nuts 27 forforming additional support for the side Walls of the shell 1.

As previously stated,'the head 5 is arranged between thesupporting-grate 13 and the up per surface of the body of water 9 and isprovided with a series of perforations 2S and caps 29, said perforationsbeing arranged to receive the generated gas, and the head 5 serves toconduct the gases to the upright pipe 2%, which gases are then conductedthrough the pipe 25 and to the gasometer. The perforations 28 are formedin the lower face of the wall of the head 5, and in order to prevent thepassage of any of the sludge or sediment into the gas-conduits I usuallyinclose the upper and side portions of the headwith a suitable hood orhoods 30, which rest upon the upper face of the head and depend asufficient distance below the lower face therewith to prevent theformation or accumulation of any of the sludge or sediment within theapertures 28.

The operation of myinvention will now be readily understood uponreference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings,and it will be noted that although I have described a generator ofsubstantially rectangular cross-section any other form may be employedwithout departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of an iuclosing shelland a carbidreceptacle therein and provided with a gratebottom, saidshell having Water and gas chambers beneath the grate and a water-jacketsurrounding the carbid-receptacle, a follower having portions thereofmovable in the receptacle and jacket, and means independent of thereceptacle and grate and alined with the apertures for discharging waterlaterally over the upper surface of the grate and against the carbidthereon.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with an inclosingshell having Water and gas chambers'iu its base and a waterjacket at itsupper end, a carbid-receptacle removably suspended from the upper end ofthe shell and having a grate-bottom and apertures alined with the upperface of the grate, said grate being removable with the receptacle, afollower removable in the receptacle and jacket, and means independentof the receptacle and grate and alined with the apertures fordischarging water through the apertures and against the carbid.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with an inclosin gshell having Water and gas chambers in its base and a waterjacket at itsupper end, a carbid-receptacle suspended from the upper end of the shelland having a grate --bottom and apertures alined with the upper face ofthe grate, a follower movable in the receptacle and jacket, and meansfor discharging water through the apertures and against the carbid, agas-conduit extending through the shell beneath the water-line andhaving a receiving-head in the apertures in its lower wall forreceivingthe gas and with wings depending from its oppositensidesbeneath the lower wall for vpreventing the entrance of anysediment intothe receiving-head.

4. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a water-containing shell, aremovable carbidreceptacle above the water-line and provided withseparated grate-bars secured to. the receptacle and removable therewith,and a water-conduit separate from the receptacle or grate and havinglateral discharge-nipples alined with the upper face of the grate fordischarging water against the lower face of the carbid, the receptaclehaving apertures to receive the jets of water from the nipples for thepurpose described.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator the combination with a shell having agas-chamber, a

carbid-receptacle above the gas-chamber and provided with separatedgrate-bars, said re ceptacles having apertures at the ends of the gratebars and alined with the spaces between said bars, and a water-conduithaving discharge-openings alined with the. apertures and dischargingjets of water into and lengthwise of said spaces between the grate-barsfor the purpose described.

6. The combination with a removable carbid-receptacle havinga horizontalgrate-bob tom removable with the receptacle, said re ceptacle havingapertures in its side walls, a shell inclosing the bottom of thecarbid-receptacle, and a water-supply conduit having nipples alined withthe apertures and arranged to discharge jets of water through theapertures and against the lower face of the carbid and substantiallyparallel with the upper face of the grate.

7. A carbid-receptacle having a grate-bot tom and apertures in its sidewalls alined'with the upper face of the grate, in combination with aninclosing shell'having a water-jacket above the apertures and awater-conduit beneath the water-jacket having openings dischargingthrough said apertures against the carbid.

8. The combination with a carbid-receptacle having separated bottomgrate-bars and apertures alined with the spaces between the grate-bars,of an inclosing shell having a water-jacket, and a water-conduit beneaththe jacket having discharge-openings alined with said apertures for thepurpose described.

9. An acetylene-gas generator comprising an inclosing shell having waterandgas chambers and an open upper end, a carbid-receptacle supportedwithin the shell and removable through said opening, said receptaclehaving a grate-bottom and apertures in its side walls above the grate,the grate being movable with the receptacle and means for dischargingwater through the apertures in said side walls and against the lowersurface of the carbid.

10. An acetylene-gas generator comprising aninclosing shell open at itsupper end and having a water-chamber and a dischargeopening in its baseand an inclined bottom wall troughed to concentrate the water and sludgeat said discharge-opening, the upper end of the shell having aWater-jacket independent of the former water-chamber, acarbid-receptacle supported within the shell and removable through itsupper end, said receptacle having a grate-bottom and apertures throughits side walls, and means for discharging water between theWater-chamber and jacket through the apertures against the lower face ofthe carbid.

11. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a water-containing shell openat its upper end and having an inclined bottom wall and adischarge-opening above and in proximity to the lower edge of said wall,the shell having a water-jacket at its upper end, a carbid-receptaclesuspended from its upper end into the shell above the Water-line andhaving a grate-bottom secured thereto and normally in a-plane beneaththe water-jacket, said receptacle being removable through the upper endof the shell and having apertures alined with the upper face of thegrate, and means for discharging water through said apertures againstthe carbid.

12. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of an inclosing shelland a carbidreceptacle removably suspended therein, said receptaclehaving a grate-bottom and apertures alined with the upper surface of thegrate, the grate being removable with the receptacle and means betweenthe shell and receptacle for discharging water laterally through theapertures and against the carbid.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of May,1901.

MARTIN J. ERK.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. Now.

